


On Borrowed Time

by angelus2hot



Category: Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
Genre: Angst, Community: smallfandomfest, Gen, Goodbyes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-24
Updated: 2011-07-24
Packaged: 2017-10-21 17:42:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/227868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelus2hot/pseuds/angelus2hot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set after the Season 5 Episode Faith. Sometimes helping a friend is just helping him to say goodbye.</p>
            </blockquote>





	On Borrowed Time

**Author's Note:**

> **Title:** On Borrowed Time  
>  **Fandom:** Hercules the Legendary Journeys  
>  **Rating:** PG-13  
>  **Word Count:** 1,100  
>  **Prompt:** Hercules the Legendary Journeys Hercules  & Iolaus A friend in need  
>  **Characters/Pairing:** Hercules, Iolaus  
>  **Summary:** Set after the Season 5 Episode Faith. Sometimes helping a friend is just helping him to say goodbye.  
>  **A/N:** written for smallfandomfest's [Fest 09](http://smallfandomfest.livejournal.com/360931.html)

"Hang on, Iolaus! Don't leave me!" The words echoed through the room. Silent tears fell on Iolaus' face as Hercules cradled his best friend's lifeless body in his arms. This wasn't supposed to happen! It was all his fault. From the beginning Iolaus hadn't wanted to come to Sumeria to begin with. It was only through Hercules' convincing argument they should help those who needed their help no matter where they were that he had even finally consented to go.

But after everything he had been through over the years he should have known better than to mess with the gods. First he lost his wife and children because of his step mother's, the queen of the gods, petty jealousy. She had sent a fireball down from the heavens and he had been powerless to stop it. It had been the worst thing he could ever imagine. He didn't even get to say goodbye.

And now Iolaus was gone. NO! He wouldn't accept that. He couldn't. Their time was too short. Nothing could have prepared him for goodbye.

Hercules laid Iolaus' body gently on the platform, kneeled down beside him, closed his eyes as he began to pray. Even though he wasn't really a praying man, he had to try. He believed that a man alone decided his fate. Good or bad. But he would do anything to get Iolaus back. And if that meant praying to deities he had no belief in then that was what he was going to do.

"What are you doing. Herc?"

His eyes flew open at the sound of the voice he had thought to never hear again. As he stared at his best friend for a brief moment he believed Iolaus was back. Until he glanced down and saw Iolaus' body lying still on the platform beside him. His eyes widened, and his mouth hung open as he stared at Iolaus standing in front of him.

"I've gotten you speechless, haven't I? Well, I have to say it was about time." Iolaus couldn't help but grin at the stunned look on his best friend's face.

"I..I..." Hercules cleared his throat and tried again. "Iolaus?"

"It's me, buddy."

"I don't understand. I...." Whatever Hercules was going to say was lost as Iolaus interrupted.

"You didn't think I was going to leave without saying goodbye do you?" Iolaus tone was teasing as he watched his best friend. "You should know me better than that by now."

"I don't understand." Hercules repeated as more tears welled up in his eyes. "I saw you die. You're body is lying right here beside me."

At the pain in his best friend's voice all thought of teasing left him. "A lot of the Sumerian gods aren't all bad. There was this one Su..Sa... something like that. I forget which one." Iolaus quickly said a silent prayer for forgiveness. He didn't want the god taking him back before he had accomplished what he was really there for. "Anyway, he gave me a little time to come back. So that we could say goodbye."

Hercules ran a trembling hand through his hair. This wasn't what he was used to. The last thing the gods had ever wanted to do was help him. He didn't realize he had said the last part out loud until Iolaus started to speak.

"These aren't the Greek gods, Herc. These are Sumerian, remember?"

"How long can you stay?" It was so weird being able to talk to Iolaus, to see him standing in front of him and still see his body lying dead beside him. It was enough to make a lesser man pause. And even Hercules had a hard time with it.

Iolaus shook his head. "Not long. Just like with Hades, they do have their rules. They're just bending this one just this once."

Hercules reached out to put a hand on Iolaus' shoulder. He really was happy to see Iolaus even if it was on borrowed time.

Sadly, Iolaus shook his head once more. "You can't touch me, Herc. I'm not really..." Iolaus paused before he began again. "Think of me as a ghost. But not really."

"I'm sorry, Iolaus." Tears shimmered in his eyes as he stared at his best friend.

Iolaus' eyes widened. "What for?"

"For not being able to save you." Tears began to run down his face as he finished speaking.

"Are you kidding?" Iolaus couldn't believe what Hercules had said. "You have saved my life more times than I can count. You have been there for me whenever I needed you and even sometimes when I didn't know I did. And now it's my turn to save you."

Hercules' eyebrow shot up. "What?"

"I might have fibbed a little bit about the real reason the gods let me come back."

 _He knew it! He knew better than to ever trust a god!_ "What was the reason?"

"They had this.. well, feeling that you wouldn't take my death well. The Sumerians need your help and they thought because of me you wouldn't want to. And they were right, Herc. I saw it all happen. The gods have this... I don't know how to describe it but they can look forward in time. It's really amazing when you stop to..." At the look on Hercules' face, Iolaus got back to the point. "You turned your back on the people that need you."

Before Iolaus could say anything else Hercules quickly interrupted. That didn't sound like something he would do. "I would never..." He glanced down at the still body of his best friend in the whole world lying on a platform, killed by a deity they had never even heard of before. He couldn't finish his sentence, Iolaus was right. Without Iolaus by his side they could all go to tartarus for all he cared.

At the look in Hercules' eyes, Iolaus knew his friend had realized the gods were right. "Promise me, Hercules, that you won't give up. Promise me, you'll continue helping people just like we've always done."

More tears began to tremble in Hercules' eyes. "I promise."

"I need you to know something, Herc. You have been the most amazing friend anyone could have ever asked for. I have had some of the best adventures with you. And I don't regret a moment of my life spent by your side. It's been an honor being your friend." As his body began to fade he softly whispered, "Goodbye, Herc."

Hercules rested his head against Iolaus' still body and let the tears fall where they may. "Goodbye, my friend."


End file.
